SANTA ANA, CA – 8 activists locked together with lock boxes are blocking an ICE detention center on Santa Ana Blvd in Santa Ana to protest SB 1070 and recent votes in Orange County communities to ramp up racist profiling and crackdowns on undocumented immigrants. Activists are also calling on the Santa Ana City Council to make Santa Ana a sanctuary city and prevent police collaboration with ICE. About 50 supporters rallied around them chanting “Si, se puede!” and “Migra, Policia, la misma porqueria!” (Immigration, Police, the same pigshit – rough translation).

The action took place around 10:30AM as a bus was about to leave the facility with immigrants to be taken to the border. The Santa Ana center is one of the last stops for immigrants being deported from LA, San Bernardino, and Inland Empire.

11:00AM: A crowd of about 50 people is surrounding the civil disobedience activists. The police presence is very heavy, and they currently outnumber the demonstrators, but have not yet engaged in any repression. They seem to be deliberating how to remove the protesters from the street. Both sides of the street are shut down, as is the ICE building. (from LA Indymedia)

12:30PM: Non-locked down people removed from sidewalk. Police shoved several protesters. Helicopter flying above, with lots of police all around. Santa Ana Blvd is blocked between Flower St and Ross St.

1:00PM: 8 protesters loaded into vans and taken to Santa Ana Police Department headquarters for booking. Charges are unlawful assembly and failure to disperse, both misdemeanors.

5:30PM: Detainees were initially being denied food and water, but finally were given both food and water. Two of the detainees were injured–one woman and one man. They have yet to be given any assistance.

6:30PM: Two detainees have been released. The two that were released had given their identity and ID. One of the detainees has complained of stomach pain for hours now and hasn’t been offered any medical assistance. Men are going to be moved to another undisclosed jail, possibly LA.

12:30AM: After much waiting, the remaining detainees were released. SanTana se levanta!